Dragonfly Restaurant

WHY!!! askjfa;skldjf;askl

What!!! Dragonfly closed!
They had the best coconut rice and calamari! Where am I gonna go now for that???
Booooooo!

The Treasure Rolls were so fantastic. On the days when the cook was on his game, the phở at Dragonfly was the best in the neighborhood — and there is some pretty darned good phở in this neighborhood.
What will happen to the beautiful koi in their lovely little pool beneath the stairs?
Dragonfly, you will be missed.

For a long time I thought they were remodeling this place, but now I find that they just CLOSED for good.
It’s been awhile since my last visit, the only dishes I can remember are the table side flambee, and their succulent steamed seabass. The western style service was efficient. Not many people knew that u could park in the little lot with the wire fence, across the street.

This is a great place even though there’s like nobody eating here.
Honey quail as the starter was very tasty and soft. The Shaking Beef is very tender and there were many pieces (unlike some other place that I reviewed). The lime sauce pairs it off very nicely. The garlic noodles were very flavorful, with bits of garlic in the dish. Big portions for each dish, we were so full afterwards.
Service was very attentive since there were only 2 tables.

So I was craving garlic noodles but didn’t want to spend «Thanh Long money». So I turned to my trusty friends @ Unilocal and decided on this place. I love the Noriega/​Irving area because so many of my favorite restaurants are there, so I figured I’d love this place, too. I was right! Actually, my fellow Unilocalers were :-)
Here’s the verdict:
— Shaking beef ($ 19– filet minion cubes w/​onion on a bed of greens) — extremely tender and juicy. Came with a zesty lemon dipping sauce that added a nice ‘tang’ to the beef
— Garlic noodles ($ 9.50 — tossed with garlic, egg and I think peanuts). Comes with your choice of meat (chicken, prawns, beef). I chose prawns. They were pre-​peeled and tender, although there weren’t very many of them in the noodles
— They were out of coconut rice ($ 2.50) so we just had plain jasmine rice served in a banana leaf (see pics)
— Service was prompt and attentive throughout the meal
— Total bill including drinks and tax was $ 36. Not bad at all considering we had filet mignon (shaking beef)!
I also fell in love with the little koi pond they have in the back dining area (see pics) — such an unexpected discovery.
I will definitely be back!

You know when you’re watching stand-​up comedy and everyone around you is laughing at a particular bit or punchline except for you?
That’s how I felt after giving this place a shot. After seeing such glowing reviews for this place, the high expectations I had were not met. It could be the fact that what I ordered wasn’t one of their best dishes (the Catfish Clay Pot) or the value wasn’t there (their $ 9.00 Garlic Noodles are so not worth it), but I just couldn’t get the punchline that the majority of the Unilocal community seemed to get about this place.
It wasn’t terrible, but I just couldn’t understand what everyone was raving about. Kind of reminds me of a Carlos Mencia performance.

Ambiance — You won’t find any paper napkins or bottles of Sriracha here. White tablecloths, modern lighting and décor, and a Koi pond make this restaurant contemporary.
Service — Very attentive, but that may be because the place wasn’t even half full.
Food — It was good. Nothing spectacular, nothing bad. The garlic noodles tasted more like chow mein than garlic noodles. The asparagus and crab egg drop soup was delicate and flavorful. The presentation of everything was very nice, especially the rice wrapped in a banana leaf. I would go back to try some of their other items the next time I feel like contemporary Vietnamese food.

Just slightly off the beaten path… Dragonfly is easy enough to find. And parking was cinch too, or maybe it was just early in the evening…
My bf and I were the very first diners in the door on a Saturday evening. We asked to be seated in the back room so we wouldn’t be blinded by the bright light streaming in the windows of the front room. We gingerly walked over the wooden bridge and caught a glimpse of the koi in the pond. :)
Oh yeah, the food…
* A crispy and very tasty Vietnamese crêpe chock full of shrimp and chicken — served with lettuce and mint, pickled carrots, lil’ onions, and fish sauce
* Flaming beef, with shrimp, and onions — cooked tableside, flames shooting up and all! Served with the same stuff as above and thin rice paper pancakes. Very messy, but totally fun!
* Catfish in a clay pot… definitely NOT spicy like the menu says. Unless you bite into the red peppers that look more like garnish. Honestly a little disappointing — portion and flavor-​wise.
And the grand finale, for dessert…
* Dark chocolate fondue served in a pot that looks like a Hershey’s kiss… get ready to dip! strawberries, apples, bananas, pound cake, fried ice cream.
By the time we left at 8 PM, the restaurant’s front room definitely filled up… looks like Dragonfly is doing pretty well in this down economy.

I keep on giving 5 stars lately, but I feel it is deserved. We had:
— Crêpe: crispy and yummy with spring onions
— Shaking beef: tender and tasty with fresh watercress
— Rice w/​ginger & garlic: flavorful
— garlic noodles: great fresh texture and amazing garlic/​shallot flavor
— black sticky rice with coconut: not overly sweet
We drank black lychee tea and they gave us so many refills.
My parents loved it. I loved it. For the quality, the prices were great!
Yum!!!
And the handless garbage can was great too!
And the service was nice to boot.

Quite surprised… and pleasantly satisfied. I dined here at Dragonfly recently with my family for a little get together with cousins and Uncle for a nice little yip yap session.
I was a bit skeptical at first considering this place titles themselves as «Contemporary» Vietnamese food. I would hardly consider this place «Contemporary» and actually quite typical Vietnamese. But ignoring the Contemporary food mind set, the dishes we ordered were actually quite flavorful and plentiful for the money spent.
To start off, we shared an order of Garlic Noodles– Stir-​fried egg noodles, prawn, egg & garlic. $ 7.00. Noodles were nice and chewy, and I liked how they provided a few prawns in the dish also. I’ve had garlic noodles at various other spots that don’t offer much else on the noodles besides… well…noodles. But nice quality to have prawns and egg in the noodles too. A bit more crushes garlic would be nice.
My Dad and Uncle ordered the same dish, as they’re big carnivores and love their meat. They both ordered the Saigon Style Pork Chops — BBQ marinated pork, shredded pork & imperial rolls. Served w/​jamince rice.$ 7.00.
Great variety in this dish, and for their lunch portion offers the shredded pork and Imperial Roll for sides.
The sister and cousin orderes the Five Spice Chicken — Tender roast chicken seasoned w/​five-​spice. Served w/​jasmine rice. *Yum* Juicy pieces of chicken with a thin layer of the fatty skin cooked perfectly.
As for me, I opted for the Beef Look-​Luck w/​Egg — Sauteed cubed beef w/​caramelized, pan-​fried egg. Served on onion sizzling iron plate & jasmine rice. $ 11.00
Also *Yummy* The beef cubes were so tender and juicy. The dish came with a side of Lemon Juice with Pepper which definitely wasn’t needed at all, and was actually a big odd. The beef was already very saucey and flavorful and didn’t need the lemon juice. As for the fried egg, it was a nice compliment to my beef cubes. I enjoyed this dish very much.
All dishes came with a side of Rice wrapped in a cute little banana leaf… which is I guess, part of their «Contemporary» flair. Nice presentation.
Overall, I had a very enjoyable lunch with my family, and we all seemed to enjoy our dishes as there was nothing left. Generous portions and flavor dishes!
Yes, I’d return.

[M]ona: 5 Stars
[W]ayne: 5 Stars
Average: 5 Stars
+ Great Service
+ Nice Ambiance
+ Reasonable Prices
+ Yummy Pâté and Bread
+ Refreshing Beef Carpaccio Salad
+ Flavorful Garlic Noodles
+ Creamy Seafood Curry
+ Fun to make Spring Rolls
+ Fun to Watch Flaming Beef
+ Cute Individual Rice Balls
+ Yummy Fried Ice Cream
+ Happy Hour Specials
[M] That’s all you need to know :)

Yes, Sunday afternoon is fine.
We dropped in for a bite around 2 pm, and the room was about half full. It was quiet, so conversation was easy. We sat in the window, and basked in the direct sunlight. Yes, direct sun, in San Francisco, in the Fall. I love this City!
OK, food. A glass of Oriental Beauty tea, where they drop in this tightly wrapped ball of tea, and as it steeps it slowly unfolds into a flower that fills the whole glass. Appropriately classified as Art Tea. Mine was oolong, not so artistic, but delicious nonetheless.
Spring rolls. Yummy prawn goodness in a rice paper wrapper, with a spicy dipping sauce.
Chicken phở, more than enough. My Lady took some home in a doggy bucket. I mean, it’s soup, you can’t carry it in a bag, can you?
Clay pot special. Basically everything you can think of, over rice. I mean prawns, ginger beef, roast chicken, vegetables, and soy sauce. More than enough here, too, but I ate it anyway. I wasn’t going to stop as long as there was some left.
Big meal sleepy time, for $ 28 + tip. Two trips to the register for the waiter, who showed us he wasn’t working just for tips by bringing back minimalist change on the first try.

Yes, that was real good dinner!
We had the flaming quail, which our server put on fire at the table! It was served with sour lime sauce — great combo!
Shaking beef — was really tender!
Beef carpaccio was delightful and perfect!
Oxtail stew — was good, but still nothing can beat Tommy’s Joynt oxtail stew on Mondays :)
Spring rolls with mint — were refreshing and yummy!
Service was great! I absolutely enjoyed the 3 hours I spent there! :)

MY FAVOR FAVE!!! I don’t know how many times i’ve been here but too many! Everytime i have a guest or someone visiting from out of town i usually take them here. Its not your cheap kinda vietnamese restaurant, more on the side of asian fusion cute romantic restaurant. They are open during lunch and dinner. I found that lunch is a bit cheaper, about the same you would pay any other vietnamese restaurant and the dinner menu offers a differnt variety of food which can run a little bit more. My favorite I get everytime is the crispy calamari! Hands down the best! The Lychee ice tea is to die for as well. They also serve you bread and pâté on the house.
The servers are very kind and are always coming by to check on us. Its cute that the hispanic waiter knows how to speak and understand a little bit of vietnamese. Definitely a winner everytime! ching ching!!!

Generally this place is ok, but its not something I’d return to anytime soon.
I went with a large group, and was seated in the front. Fair enough — it was mid-​day and there weren’t too many people. I assume they wanted to seat us near the front so it looks like they have a lot of business. Or maybe to wait on less tables and have a smaller space open. The space though was really nice. Its decorated well, and seems to have enough room to fit many people.
The server was friendly, and was pretty good about getting the food out. We got our food at more or less the same time. Except one or two people who had to wait excessively long. I don’t think we were told that the wait for those particular dishes would take that long.
Food-​wise, its not so amazing. There’s a Vietnamese feel, but its definitely not authentic. Yet, its also not distinctive enough for me to call it «Fusion.» So it leaves me with… interesting? I had the Vermicelli, and I’ve had better, for cheaper, in a more convenient location. I’d say go here if you’re really craving something Asian-​esque in the area, but not if you really want Vietnamese food.

Before coming here, I was always skeptical about paying so much for Vietnamese food. But one day, a few of my friends and I decided to come here and try it since it was so close. It is definitely more expensive than your average vietnamese restaurant, excluding phở places, however, it’s not going to break your wallet. The price for appetizers varies from $ 8 – 15. The entrees cost about $ 13 – 25, depending on what you get.
To start you off, they usually give you pâté, which is SOOOO GOOOOOOOD! As for appetizers, I really like their beef carpaccio. The beef is drenched in fish sauce (or nuoc mam) with lemon juice and fried onions. It also comes with shrimp crackers too! I also got the banh xeo or vietnamese crêpe. It had a little too much bean sprouts inside of it for me… could have had more meat/​shrimp.
As for entrees, I’ve tried a large variety of them:
Catfish Claypot — Ca Kho (Catfish w/​black pepper, ginger & scallions in caramelized sauce. (Spicy)). The fish is really flavorful, and one of my new favorites!
Beef Look-​Luck — Bo Luc Lac (Sauteed cubed beef w/​garlic & oyster sauce layered on a bed of lettuce and onion). This is also really good.
Flaming Beef — Tom Bo Lua Hong (Shrimp & marinated beef, w/​tomatos & onions. Served w/​rice paper & vegetables. Flambeed at your table.) –I actually do this at home (you get more meat that way), but I wanted to try in the restaurant. The beef is cooked with onions in a bowl lit with fire. You then wrap the beef in the spring roll wrappers with lettuce and pickled carrots. You roll it up and dip it into the fish sauce. It’s normally reallllly good, but here the meat sits in its own fat and isn’t drained, and the wrappers are usually soaked, so it’s too wet to roll… at least that’s how mine was.
BBQ Short Ribs — Suon Bo
Marinated beef short ribs w/​onion served on a sizzling iron plate. — also very tasty, but it doesn’t come with a lot.
Coconut Chicken — Ga Kho
Slow-​braised chicken in clay pot, w/​coconut juice & fish sauce (Spicy) — relaly good
BASICALLY… EVERYTHING IS GOOD here… what’s even better is the FRIED ICE CREAM. My friend and I once came here just for the pâté and fried ice cream. It’s different than japanese fried ice cream. it doesn’t have a lot of batter, and isn’t made by corn flakes. It is in my opinion, THE BEST FRIED ICE CREAM EVERRRR. It comes in Coconut pineapple, or rocky road. The coconut pineapple goes really well with the fried part of it. When it comes out, it has a flaming sugar cube, which is a really nice effect.
Overall, food is great, service is great (the waiters are really attentive), and nice décor. Would definitely come back again.

Dined here last night with a girl friend and we are both HUGE fans of Dragonfly. The staff was extremely attentive — like to the point where my iphone was dying and they charged my phone while I ate! I thought the food was authentic and DELISH! Crispy calamari was definitely my favorite; also ordered lotus salad (yum) and shaking beef (double YUM!) No complaints on portion size either. And we loved the pâté and bread so much that our waiter packed us some to go!
Basically, if you’re looking for a cheap Vietnamese meal, this isn’t gonna be your place (I personally thought the price was reasonable). You could get equally authentic and delicious food in the TL for cheaper, but then you’d have to deal with tacky décor, a waitstaff who blatantly ignores you and a not-​so-​charming atmosphere. Cheap and fast is great when you’re hungover, but if you’re looking for authentic Vietnamese grub and you want a nice dining experience, this is an excellent option!

I have been wanting to try this place for a while now and today we needed a last minute dinner location that was laid back after packing all day.
We got here at 8:30 and it was packed, so I recommend making a reservation. The place looked very quaint and friendly with a mix of neighborhood regulars and visitors. We were seated quickly and began to make our selections.
We decided on the quail, hot/​sour soup and papaya salad and the coconut chicken and brown rice for the entrée. The quail was good and the waiter came to the table and flamed it before us, always a nice presentation. I think it could have been a bit more tender. The salad was great, always refreshing for such a meal and the soup was surprisingly light and flavorful all though not spicy enough for me.
The chicken was the least favorite, it was dry, the pieces of meat were very substandard and there wasn’t enough sauce. All and all this dish was very disappointing. I would rather pay a few more dollars for highter quality.
We ended the meal with tea which was nicely blooming in our glasses and we felt very relaxed and the table and never rushed. The waiter seemed to genuinely care about the service and food and was very friendly and checked in more than expected.
We spent $ 60 w/​tip on dinner with a beer and glass of wine, which is great in the city for a nice atmosphere and no rush dinner and I would say would probably come back but be more selective about our choices.

Ok the rice and bread were great… but the rest was pretty typical Vietnamese food.
I came here for dinner with a big party so we were able to try a bunch of things… from best to blah:
— beef carpaccio — wonderful!!!
— rice — awesome presentation and cooked perfectly (Spicy Element can learn a thing or two from these guys — see my other reviews)
— flaming beef — GREAT WRAPPERS
— tamarind crab — better than the garlic crab
— garlic noodles — yummy but a bit oily
— garlic crab — not bad but not as flavorful as it can be. not sure if it is because it isn’t’ in season or because of the cooking
— bread with pâté — nice surprise but i’ve had better pâté
— five spice chicken — nothing special
— Saigon style pork chop — nothing special